Winnipeg swimmer Chantal Van Landeghem qualifies for semifinals
Focus is getting into the top 8 in semifinals tonight, says Van Landeghem
Chantal Van Landeghem, a swimmer who grew up in Winnipeg, will go on to compete in the 100-metre semifinals at the Summer Olympics in Rio.
In her heat Wednesday morning, Van Landeghem swam the race in 53.89 seconds; the Olympic record is 52.78. She finished ninth overall.
Van Landeghem said her focus now is on recovering so she can have a strong finish in the semifinals this evening.
"I'm trying to do everything I can do to get into the top eight tonight," she said.
"That's the goal."
The semifinals for the 100-metre freestyle swim start at 8 p.m. CT Wednesday.
CBC Television will carry the event live. It can also be streamed online at CBC Olympics website and on the CBC Rio 2016 app.
Both <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAN?src=hash">#CAN</a> swimmers Penny Oleksiak & Chantal Van Landeghem are into the SF in 100m freestyle <a href="https://t.co/JAoL0ve2RK">https://t.co/JAoL0ve2RK</a> <a href="https://t.co/VGknu8ZKwN">https://t.co/VGknu8ZKwN</a>
—@CBCOlympicsOleksiak is also progressing to the next round — she finished fifth overall in 53.53 seconds, ahead of Van Landeghem.
There was a familiarity swimming beside Oleksiak, said Van Landeghem, whom she hugged after the race.
"I knew she would come home so strong," she said.
Canadian swimmers rank 9th
Swimming events have earned Team Canada the most medals so far at the Summer Olympics in Rio, with three medals earned so far — one silver and two bronze.
Van Landeghem and Oleksiak were part of the medal-winning women's relay team that won bronze in the Women's 4x100m freestyle relay.
The other bronze medal went to Ontario's Kylie Masse in the 100-metre backstroke. Canada's silver medal went to Oleksiak in the 100-metre butterfly final.
Canada is in ninth place for medals in swimming — the United States leads with 18 medals so far.
Van Landeghem, 22, is from Winnipeg but now lives in Toronto. During the Pan Am Games last year, she won gold in the 100-metre freestyle event and gold in the 4x100-metre freestyle relay.
In 2011, Van Landeghem was named Manitoba Athlete of the Year.